Description
A luscious Italian trifle-like dessert featuring layers of liqueur‑soaked sponge or ladyfingers surrounded by vanilla and chocolate custard creams—visually stunning and luxuriously rich.
Ingredients
about 18 savoiardi (ladyfinger cookies) or slices of sponge cake
¾ cup cherry juice + ¼ cup water
3 cups whole milk
6 egg yolks
¾ cup granulated sugar
⅓ cup all‑purpose flour or corn starch
1 vanilla bean or ½ vanilla pod (or 1 tsp vanilla extract)
zest strip of ½ lemon (optional)
2 oz (about 60 g) dark chocolate, finely chopped
Instructions
In a saucepan, gently warm milk with vanilla (bean and lemon zest), without boiling. Remove flavorings.
Whisk egg yolks with sugar until pale and fluffy, then whisk in flour (or starch). Gradually stream hot milk into egg mixture, whisking constantly. Return to pan and cook over low heat, stirring until thickened custard forms. Cool.
Divide custard: leave two‑thirds plain, stir chopped chocolate into remaining third to make chocolate custard. Chill both until set.
Mix cherry juice with water. Quick‑dip each savoiardo or sponge slice into liquor, coating but not soggy.
In a trifle dish or individual glasses layer soaked cookies, then chocolate custard, then another layer of soaked cookies, then vanilla custard. Repeat, ending with a custard layer.
Optionally top with whipped cream, chocolate shavings, or sliced almonds.
Refrigerate for at least 2–4 hours to set fully.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Chilling Time:: 2 hours
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
